title: Chromosome evolution in the subtribe Bovina (Mammalia, Bovidae): the karyotype of the Cambodian banteng (Bos javanicus birmanicus) suggests that Robertsonian translocations are related to interspecific hybridization.
abstract: Three subspecies of banteng (Bos javanicus) have been described: B. j. javanicus in Java, B. j. lowi in Borneo, and B. j. birmanicus in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. In this paper we provide the first description of the karyotype of the Cambodian banteng. The chromosomal complement of B. j. birmanicus differs from that of B. j. javanicus, which was previously found to be similar to that of cattle, Bos taurus (2n = 60). The Cambodian banteng karyotype has a diploid number of 2n = 56 (FN = 62) and the karyotype consists of 26 pairs of acrocentric chromosomes and two pairs of submetacentric chromosomes. Comparisons with other species of the subtribe Bovina show that the two pairs of bi-armed chromosomes resulted from two centric fusions involving the equivalent of cattle chromosomes 1 and 29, and 2 and 28, respectively. Cross-species fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) with B. taurus whole chromosome paints and satellite DNA I probes was used to identify the chromosomes involved in the translocations, and their orientation. We suggest that Robertsonian translocations (1;29) and (2;28) have been fixed in the common ancestor of Cambodian banteng as a consequence of hybridization with the kouprey (Bos sauveli) during the Pleistocene epoch.
authors.affiliation: UMR 5202 - Origine, Structure et Evolution de la Biodiversité, Département Systématique et Evolution, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Case postale No. 51, 55, rue Buffon, 75005, Paris, France. ropiquet@sun.ac.za
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ropiquet
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gerbault-Seureau
authors.forename: Jane L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Deuve
authors.forename: Clément
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pagacova
authors.forename: Norin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rubes
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassanin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002160:Cambodia; D033481:Chromosomes, Mammalian / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007621:Karyotyping; D012418:Ruminants / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*